The APX has spent three years in development, enduring rigorous testing. Beretta addressed lots of feedback from law enfrocement and other end-users to make sure the striker-fired APX would be ready to perform right out of the box.

When I spoke with Gabriele De Plano, the vice president of BDT USA’s marketing and operations, briefly about the APX, he provided a general idea about the pistol but caveated his statements by saying that the “final U.S. variant of the APX is still being developed.”

Here’s what we do know about the APX from its debut at the International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) conference in Abu Dhabi in February.

APX SPEX

The APX uses an ergonomic, modular, polymer frame similar in concept to that used in the ultra-compact Beretta Pico pistol. Advanced ergonomics are built into the design, with differently sized grip frames available so the APX will fit different hand sizes.

The striker-fired trigger group is the serialized part of the APX. The finalized pistol available in the U.S., which will have slightly different specifications than the model recently unveiled in the Middle East, will most likely feature three-dot night sights that are dovetailed into the steel slide.

The Beretta APX is also designed so that operators can switch between chamberings—from 9mm to .40 S&W and possibly .45 ACP—with ease.